Combinatorial method for solid source doping process development

Abstract

One or more small spot showerhead apparatus are used to provide dopant exposure and/or to deposit materials using CVD, PECVD, ALD, or PEALD on small spots in a site isolated, combinatorial manner. The small spot showerheads may be configured within a larger combinatorial showerhead to allow multi-layer film stacks to be deposited in a combinatorial manner. Anneal processes where the area of the process can be controlled such as laser annealing or site-isolated rapid thermal processing (RTP) can be used to vary the annealing conditions in a combinatorial manner.

What is claimed: 
     
       1. A method for doping in a combinatorial manner, the method comprising:
 providing a substrate; 
 applying an in-situ clean to a surface of the substrate; 
 after the applying, exposing one or more first site-isolated regions on the surface of the substrate to a dopant, wherein the exposing can be varied in a combinatorial manner; 
 after the exposing, forming a silicon dioxide layer above each of the first site-isolated regions; 
 after the forming, annealing one or more second site-isolated regions defined within each of the first site-isolated regions using one of laser annealing or site-isolated rapid thermal annealing, wherein the annealing can be varied in a combinatorial manner; 
 after the annealing, depositing a conductive layer within each of the second site-isolated regions, wherein the depositing can be varied in a combinatorial manner; and 
 after the depositing, measuring a property within each of the second site-isolated regions. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1  wherein the substrate is one of silicon, germanium or a silicon-germanium alloy. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1  wherein an area of each of the second site-isolated regions is smaller than an area of each of the first site-isolated regions. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1  wherein a composition of the dopant is varied between at least two of the first isolated regions. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1  wherein a concentration of the dopant is varied between at least two of the first isolated regions. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1  wherein a source gas of the dopant is varied between at least two of the first isolated regions. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 1  wherein an exposure time of the dopant is varied between at least two of the first isolated regions. 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 1  wherein the annealing comprises laser annealing and a temperature of the annealing is varied between at least two of the second isolated regions. 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 1  wherein the annealing comprises laser annealing and a time of the annealing is varied between at least two of the second isolated regions. 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 1  wherein the annealing comprises laser annealing and a temperature ramp rate of the annealing is varied between at least two of the second isolated regions. 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 1  wherein the annealing comprises laser annealing and a power of the annealing is varied between at least two of the second isolated regions. 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 1  wherein the annealing comprises site-isolated rapid thermal processing and a temperature of the annealing is varied between at least two of the second isolated regions. 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 1  wherein the annealing comprises site-isolated rapid thermal processing and a time of the annealing is varied between at least two of the second isolated regions. 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 1  wherein the annealing comprises site-isolated rapid thermal processing and a temperature ramp rate of the annealing is varied between at least two of the second isolated regions. 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 1  wherein the annealing comprises site-isolated rapid thermal processing and a power of the annealing is varied between at least two of the second isolated regions. 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 1  wherein the conductive layer is a metal and a composition of the metal is varied between at least two of the second isolated regions. 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 1  wherein the conductive layer is a metal compound and a concentration of the metal is varied between at least two of the second isolated regions. 
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 1  wherein a thickness of the conductive layer is varied between at least two of the second isolated regions. 
     
     
       19. The method of  claim 1  wherein the measuring of the property comprises measuring at least one of: capacitance as a function of applied voltage, current as a function of applied voltage, concentration and energy levels of traps or interface states, or concentration and mobility of charge carriers. 
     
     
       20. The method of  claim 19  wherein the measuring of the property comprises measuring capacitance as a function of applied voltage.